Every Friday night this summer, as the last rays of golden sunshine start to fade and the perfect shade of dark blue steals the horizon, there’s something magical that occurs at IHC.
1000 people come together and sit around a campfire.
Ask any summer camp alumni and they will tell you, life is most beautiful around the campfire. As the orange flames flicker, twist and contort, and the crackling of dry wood comforts the silence, there is an energy in the air that you don’t feel too often. To put it simply, campfires are the heart and soul of summer camp.
It’s one of the few times all summer that everyone is together at the same time. Siblings sit together, friends sit together, but most importantly everyone sits together.
And as you gaze into the flickering embers, there are times when it’s so quiet you could hear a pine cone drop. You have moments to reflect on your day, or your week, or even your year. You can get lost in your own thoughts as the person next to you silently does the same.
And there are times that this secluded campfire, on the edge of Lake Lenapi is so loud you feel like it’s going to wake up the nearest city.
Perhaps it’s so magical because one week there’s an old camp veteran strumming a 6 string — singing John Denver songs that 6 year olds have never heard or the next week it’s a repeat after me song led by the youngest camper. Either way, it’s guaranteed to get people involved.
Maybe it’s magical because it takes us back to our roots. As the world spirals out of control around us, we’re left sitting around a campfire in the great outdoors, like our ancestors tens of thousands of years ago. Just a small community coming together to share their love of summer together.
And as we sit there with the stars watching over us and the trees protecting us, we’re reminded what a gift camp is. It’s comforting and it’s safe.
Then, as the embers start to die and the night creeps darker there are stories to be told and memories being made. Then one by one, there’s a s’more waiting for each of us. A campfire tradition that will continue long after we say goodbye to camp and move on with our lives.
A mallow, toasting on the flames, squished onto a piece of Hershey’s chocolate and supported by a Graham cracker. The greatest treat.
Then as night has truly taken over the day and the stars are at their brightest, 1000 people link arms and as they sway in time with the trees they howl songs into the open air, songs about growing up, songs about growing old, songs about staying young.
Not now, but maybe when we’re older.. we’ll look back and didn’t even realize we were making memories... we just thought we were having fun.
This is the Magic of Campfire.
Don’t you miss it already?
